1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to surgical instruments and, more particularly, to an insertion device for use with a surgical fastening apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
During certain surgical procedures, it is often necessary to insert one or more surgical instruments into a body cavity, e.g. through a natural opening, or orifice, or through a percutaneous incision. In surgical procedures involving hollow organ tissue sections, such as colon surgery, it is often necessary to remove a diseased or damaged hollow organ tissue section and insert a surgical apparatus trans-anally in order to reconnect the healthy tissue sections.
In one known method relating to the resection of a target portion of the colon, a fastening apparatus, such as a surgical stapler or multi-part fastening device, is inserted trans-anally. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,983, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. During the procedure, the fastening component of the fastening apparatus is positioned within the colon on one side of the target portion that is to be removed. The fastening apparatus is then inserted into the patient's body either through a natural body orifice or through a surgically created opening. The fastening apparatus is positioned within the colon on the other side of the target portion so that the healthy sections surrounding the target portion can be attached together. The fastening component is then connected to the fastening apparatus, and the healthy sections are brought into abutment and fastened together. The fastening apparatus is then removed from the patient.
Various apparatus are suggested in the art that may be used to facilitate the insertion of a fastening apparatus into a body orifice and through a body lumen. For example, it has been suggested that a stapling anvil can be attached to the fastening apparatus in an effort to provide a blunt surface that may be advanced through the body orifice or opening in the patient's tissue. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,870 discloses a device having a sheath that is open at both ends, through which a fastening apparatus may be inserted into a body orifice. U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,503 discloses an insertion device for use with a surgical fastening apparatus that includes a distal end configured to facilitate the trans-anal insertion of the apparatus and subsequent movement of the apparatus through a body lumen.
Despite the existence of each of the aforedescribed apparatus, it would be advantageous to provide a device that safely and efficiently facilitates the insertion of a surgical fastening apparatus into and/or through a body orifice or opening in a patient's tissue while being readily removable thereafter.